Put ICE in your mobile phone

My wife forwarded me an e-mail that I thought was your typical spam/hoax deal, so I went to one of my favorite reality check sites, TruthorFiction.com, and found that the ICE in your cell phone message was the real deal. Back in April an English paramedic encouraged people to put an ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact in his mobile phone contact list. Mobile Gadget News posted an article that has more specifics on how to make a good entry. I also read online where you may want to put a space or number at the beginning to put it at the top of your contact list. With so many people having cellphones and that number growing, an ICE contact seems like a good idea to me, and I will encourage my family and friends to make the entries.

USER COMMENTS 14 comment(s)

ICE(12:45pm EST Tue Aug 02 2005)Thanks so much for posting this. It is a great idea. I sent an e-mail with one of your links to about 100 of my contacts. – by AlanR

No ICE(1:25pm EST Tue Aug 02 2005)Because so few people have common sense to take a look at your speed dial numbers… It is truly amazing at the level of stupidity nowadays.

Common sense has become such a rare commodity. – by You gotta be kidding

You gotta be kidding(2:01pm EST Tue Aug 02 2005)I have at least 70 numbers on my phone and most are by first name. Are they going to call all my coworkers to tell them Ive been in an accedent? Just sart with “Amy” and work their way down untill they find some one that cares? – by maximusGeek

maximusGeek: Please read the post first(2:04pm EST Tue Aug 02 2005)They're not suggesting that someone will call all the numbers on your phone. They're suggesting to make a couple of ICE contacts – people to call in an emergency.

List it like this:ICE – Mom 555-555-5555ICE – Priest 555-5HE-AVEN

and so on.

Sounds like a better idea now that you actually read it eh? – by Josh

Josh(2:48pm EST Tue Aug 02 2005)I do think its a good idea. I was commenting on “you gotta be kiddings comment”. – by maximusGeek

We've Used It(3:14pm EST Tue Aug 02 2005)As a former London HEMS flight doctor, and a current emergency physician in the States, I can confirm that ICE is no hoax.

We used it routinely in London. I've used it once while in the ED.

Of course this only works if the US paramedics bring a patient's cell phone with them. Not a problem if it's attached to your belt, in a purse, etc., but definitely a problem if they leave it in the car. – by MD

Or(5:28pm EST Tue Aug 02 2005)Simply call each person in your phone list until you get one that answers. What if your ICE contact doesn't answer, then what do you do?

Let me guess, did this email come from an email chain where the email is simply spam pretending to be good advice and being used to generate a list of valid email addresses to send more spam too? Pass this along to everyone you know, it could save their life! – by Topher

PIN protected(9:18pm EST Tue Aug 02 2005)I think it's a great idea, but what about those whose phones are protected by a password or PIN number? Then it's useless! What manufacturers of cell phones should do , is like Pocket PC's have a screen that comes up when it's password locked. On this screen, could be put the ICE numbers.– by Tech

RE: Tech(3:19am EST Wed Aug 03 2005)The main flaw with that being….ur phone gets stolen, all ur friends and families numbers are safely PIN protected, except for you ICE contact that could potentially get prank phone called by the scum that stole ur phone. – by Bored

POLL(8:25am EST Wed Aug 03 2005)How many of you have MOM or DAD or SIS or Brother in your cells contacts?

– by Reaper

RE: Reaper(9:54am EST Wed Aug 03 2005)Everyone's life and situation is different mate. I can personaly name more than 5 of my friends that wouldn't want their Mom or Dad to be the first person notified in an emergency….and not because they will get in trouble, but because they come from a broken family and they dont get on with them.

This system allows the emergency services to get to the person(s) you wish to notify in an emergency.

It is a simple idea that doesn't paint every one of us with the same brush and just assume that the obvious option is the correct one. – by Bored